Bushes for the Florida Panhandle
If you have already read the post about Trees for the Florida Panhandle or are doing some research for a new or existing area, these Bushes will help transform your space, increase productivity, and provide a yearly supply of some of your favorite foods. Always remember to include a variety of plants, from annuals to perennials. The perennials can give structure to your growing space, and the annuals not only provide some yearly variance but can also provide a seasonal variance to your landscape, so it never gets dull.
Where needed, I will add an * to signify those that are natives to Florida. Also, if you know of a plant that grows super easily in the area that is not on the list, let me know, and I’ll get it added.
Bush
Darrows blueberry* or the highbush / rabbit eye blueberries – the Darrows blueberry is a native to Florida, but might be difficult to find. The Darrows also stay shorter at around 2 ft tall. If you want an easy blueberry that’s taller (easier on the back), go with any of the highbush or rabbit eye blueberries.
Cassava (Manihot esculenta) – Not much of a traditional bush, but it gets tall. The plant also needs some help to overwinter. The plant needs to be cooked prior to eating, but the roots are a staple in other countries.
Chaya(Cnidoscolum Aconitifolius) – Ok I’ll admit, depending on how you allow this to grow, it might be more like a tree than a bush, but it can also be kept as a bush as well. Use leaves like cooked spinach, as they need to be cooked before eating. It will die back to the ground, should come back, and depending on your zone, would benefit from a little help.
Jamaican Sorrel (hibiscus sabdariffa) – also known as the Florida cranberry. The roselle you harvest has a beautiful red color and has a similar tart flavor to cranberries. They are made only for the South, not the North. A favorite for any Florida cranberry lovers.
Goji Berry (Lycium Barbbarum) – Not always the easiest from seed, but once established, it’s a great plant. And provides hoards of berries. They also come in black and yellow, each with a slightly different flavor.
Spicebush* (Lindera benzoin)- has a small range in Florida being a Zone 8a/b. It can get a little tall at 6-12 ft, so keep that in mind when picking its location. Has a flavor similar to allspice, which is great for those who don’t live in zones 10–11.
Tea (camellia sinensis) – Yes, this is the plant that tea comes from, and it does quite well in the Florida panhandle. And although it's typically thought of as a tree, it can be managed to have a more tree-like appearance. It is technically a bush, and on the tea plantations that grow it, they keep it trimmed to a 3-6 foot height to aid in ease of harvest, rather than the 10 ft they can reach.
Yaupon Holly* (Ilex Vomitoria) - For those who want a native tea plant try Yaupon Holly. Chances are, you already have it on your property or very close to your yard. This is the only native plant in America that has caffeine. The native Americans used it to make tea. Like the tea tree above, these can get tall but can also be kept shorter through pruning.
Chilean guava (Ugni Molinae) – Not a true guava, but berries can be eaten fresh and are compared to wild strawberries and guava. It is one of the closest to a guava that those of us in the panhandle will get.
Pineapple guava (Feijoa Sellowiana) – again, not a true guava, but the few fruits we can grow in the Panhandle that get us close in flavor. This is another one that can be more like a tree or a bush, depending on how you grow and prune the plant.
Skirret (Sium Sisarum) – A root crop that at one time was a staple for its starchy roots, but carrots and parsnips ended up filling the role. Not a true bush, but the tops can get tall, so I felt it could go in this category.
Pomegranates (Punica Granatum)- Most pomegranates don’t love the panhandle the most, but here are three Vfkusnyi, Crab, Mack Glass, and Ever Sweet that have been found to do well in the panhandle. They might need a little extra care until they get established.
These are a great place to start when researching bushes to add to your garden. Pick your top three and figure out where you could add them to your garden. Remember to keep the placement in mind so they grow without casting a shadow on your raised bed.
Come back next week, when I will be talking about vines that will benefit your garden space and how adding them will increase the good bugs, such as bees and butterflies, as well as the fruit you will harvest as they mature.
If you haven’t started your garden yet or are looking to increase what you have, we can help. A personal consultation, either in person or online, will get you on the right track. Forget the learning curve, start in the right direction. If you are not in Florida, we can still get you going in the right direction with the right plants for your climate.
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